MARS

This rocky planet has a thin atmosphere and ice caps
at its poles. Strong winds can whip up dust storms that cover the whole planet. All the water on Mars is frozen into rocks—primitive life may once have formed there.

WHY IS MARS CALLED THE RED PLANET?

Mars appears reddish in Earth’s night sky. The planet was named after the
Roman god of war because its color symbolizes fire, blood, and war. Close-up photographs show that the Martian surface is a rusty red color. This is because there are iron compounds in the rocks and soil.